Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1974, 2018 printing), p. 398.
“Mirror” was a title bestowed by the Báb on several of His followers.
Mírzá Yaḥyá. An allusion and contrast to “Yaḥyá the chaste”, the Islamic title of John the Baptist (see Qur’án 3:39).
A reference to God’s Heroes, a play written by Laura Dreyfus Barney and published in 1910.
English Churchman, a Protestant newspaper, had published articles opposing the Faith, including one by Rev. Peter Z. Easton on 20 September 1911.
Cf. Qaṣídiy-i-Varqá’íyyih, an ode revealed by Bahá’u’lláh in Kurdistan.
A reference to Mírzá Ḥusayn Khán, the Iranian Minister in Constantinople.
A character, infamous for his moral laxity and indifference to honour and fidelity, mentioned in Ottoman Turkish sources.
A reference to the prohibition in Qur’án 4:23 against marriage to two sisters at the same time.
Mírzá Yaḥyá was one of those on whom the Báb had bestowed the title of “Mirror”.
An allusion to a poem in Arabic: “We can learn from those who went before us in bygone centuries.”
A reference to the ‘ulamá and their fomenting of political upheaval in Iran.
A reference to the activities of the Azalís in Constantinople.
A reference to an allegation advanced by Mírzá Muḥammad-‘Alí against ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
The Tablet, addressed to Siyyid Mihdíy-i-Dahají, is quoted in the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. The full text of this statement is “Should he for a moment pass out from under the shadow of the Cause, he surely shall be brought to naught.”
A reference to Mírzá Yaḥyá’s two sons-in-law Mírzá Áqá Khán-i-Kirmání and Shaykh Aḥmad-i-Rúḥí.
An allusion to Rúmí’s story about a jackal that fell into a barrel of paint and then claimed to be a peacock.
A reference to the second Bahá’í Teaching Convention of the Central States, held in 1919.
The full sentence reads: “The Will of the divine Testator is this: It is incumbent upon the Aghṣán, the Afnán and My kindred to turn, one and all, their faces towards the Most Mighty Branch.”
A reference to the Ḥadíth that the Prophet Muḥammad delivered a sermon at Ghadír-i-Khumm in which He stated: “Whoever hath Me as his Master, hath ‘Alí as his Master.” The Shí‘ihs consider this verbal statement to be authoritative and on its basis believe ‘Alí to be the lawful successor to the Prophet.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s commentary on “Bismi’lláhi’r-Raḥmáni’r-Raḥím”, the opening words of nearly all the chapters of the Qur’án.
The Lawḥ-i-Saniy-i-Shidád. The numerical value of Shidád (“Stress”) is 309, which denotes the year of the passing of Bahá’u’lláh according to the Muslim lunar calendar (A.H. 1309/A.D. 1892).
In Persian and Arabic, as vowels are not written, these names each consist of seven letters.
By “thirteen distinguished souls” is intended Fáṭimih, the daughter of Muḥammad, and the twelve Imáms.
A reference to the opening chapter of the Qur’án, which begins with the letter Bá’.
The Antichrist, who it was believed would appear at the advent of the Promised One, to contend with and be ultimately defeated by Him.
Another figure who it was believed would raise the banner of rebellion between Mecca and Damascus at the appearance of the Promised One.
According to Islamic tradition, Seven Goats would, on the Day of Judgement, walk in front of the promised Qá’im, and their deaths would precede the impending martyrdom of their true Shepherd.
The ancient Arabic system of allocating a numerical value to letters of the alphabet, so that numbers may be represented by letters and vice versa.
Shaykh Muḥammad-Taqíy-i-Najafí, denounced by Bahá’u’lláh as the “son of the Wolf”.
A reference to the Hands of the Cause appointed by Bahá’u’lláh.